Conflict Management

Organizational Conflict

Managers spend
20 % of their
time dealing with
conflict.
 Definitions
• Katz and Kahn
– Two systems are in conflict when they interact
directly in such a way that the actions of one tend
to prevent or compel some outcome against the
resistance of the other.
• Smith
– A situation in which conditions, practices, or goals
of individuals are inherently incompatible.
• Thomas
– A struggle over values or claims to scarce
resources, power, or status. In this struggle,
opponents aim to neutralize, injure, or eliminate
their rivals
 Conflict in Groups and
Organizations
• Conflict
– Conflict is disagreement among parties. It has
both positive and negative characteristics.
– In organizations, conflict is often generated by
political behavior or battles over limited
resources.
– A total absence of conflict can lead to apathy
while a moderate degree of conflict can stimulate
new ideas.
 Four Axioms Relating to
Conflict Communication
1. Conflict involves at least
two parties.
2. Conflict develops due to
perceived mutually
exclusive goals.
3. Conflict involves parties
who may have a
different value or
perception system.
4. Conflict terminates only
when each party is
satisfied that it has won
or lost.
 Positive Aspects of Conflict

• Requires manager to evaluate goals.

• Creates dialogue between employees.
• Fosters solutions.
• Fosters creativity.
• Helps people overcome individual
psychological distortions and bias.
• Provides higher quality decisions.
 Sources of Conflict

1. Lines of authority, departmental inter-

dependence
2. Role Conflict
3. Limited resources
4. Interpersonal styles
5. Poor management
6. Different values
7. Different goals
8. Past issues
9. Unmet needs.
 Conflict and Perception

Manager 2

Accurate Inaccurate
Accurate Accurate Inaccurate
mutual mutual
Manager 1 perception perception
Inaccurate Inaccurate
Inaccurate
mutual mutual
perception perception
 Conflict Table
I win I lose

You win Win-Win Lose-Win

You lose Win-Lose Lose-Lose

 Problem Solving
• WIN/LOSE
– Dominance of power
and authority
• LOSE/LOSE
– Negotiation and
Compromise
• WIN/WIN
– Consensus
– Integrative
Conflict Resolution Strategies
 Conflict Resolution Strategies

• AVOID Wait/See
• FORCE Win/Lose
• ACCOMMODATE Lose/Win
• COMPROMISE Lose/Win
• COLLABORATE Win/Win
 Reactions to Conflict
• Avoidance
– Occurs when the interacting parties’ goals are incompatible
and the interaction between groups is relatively unimportant
to the attainment of the goals.
• Accommodation
– Occurs when the parties’ goals are compatible but the
interaction between groups is relatively unimportant to the
goals’ attainment.
• Competition
– Occurs when the goals are incompatible and the interactions
between groups are important to meeting the goals.
 Reactions to Conflict [continued]
• Collaboration
– Occurs when the interaction between groups is
very important to goal attainment and the goals are
compatible.
• Compromise
– Occurs when the interactions are moderately
important to
meeting goals and the goals are neither completely
compatible nor completely incompatible.
 Beliefs Necessary to
Implement the Win-Win Approach
1. Cooperation is
better than
competition.
2. Parties can be
trusted.
3. Status differences
should be minimized.
4. Mutually acceptable
solutions can be
found.
 Communication Principles Essential
to Implementing Win-Win
1. Use neutral rather 6. Use terms that all
than emotional parties clearly
terms. understand.
7. Allow the other person
2. Avoid absolute to complete
statements. statements.
3. Ask open-ended 8. Use effective
questions. listening skills.
4. Avoid leading 9. Be aware of the
questions. importance of physical
arrangements.
5. Repeat key phrases.
 Six Action Steps
1. Review and adjust
conflict conditions
2. Review and adjust
perceptions
3. Review and adjust
attitudes
4. Define the problem
5. Jointly search for
alternatives
6. Evaluate alternatives
and develop an
ultimate solution.
Conflict and Management Success

• The basic nature of

organizational
dynamics creates
conflict.
• You must learn to
manage conflict.
• Communication is the
foundation of conflict
management.